Equol-containing extract, method for production thereof, method for extraction of equol, and equol-containing food

Abstract

The present invention relates to an extract obtained by extracting useful components containing equal from an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl, and to a method for producing the same. The present invention makes it possible to efficiently obtain useful components containing equol from the fermented soybean hypocotyl by subjecting an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl to extraction using an ethanol aqueous solution as an extractant. The present invention reduces the content of saponin, which causes an unpleasant taste, by sequentially subjecting the equal-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl to extraction using an ethanol aqueous solution and ethanol, while efficiently extracting equol and glycitein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A jelly food composition comprising (a) to (c):
 (a) equol; 
 (b) ornithine; and 
 (c) at least one member selected from the group consisting of κ-carrageenan, gellan gum, agar, locust bean gum, and gelatin, 
 wherein the equol is present in a fermented soybean hypocotyl or an extract thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The jelly food composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the equol and ornithine are present in the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof. 
     
     
       3. The jelly food composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof is obtained from a processed soybean hypocotyl. 
     
     
       4. The jelly food composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the processed soybean hypocotyl is obtained by a method selected from the group consisting of heating, drying, steaming, fat-removing, and protein-removing. 
     
     
       5. The jelly food composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof is produced by fermentation in the presence of arginine. 
     
     
       6. The jelly food composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof is produced by adding arginine to the soybean hypocotyl. 
     
     
       7. The jelly food composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof has been fermented by an ornithine- and equol-producing microorganism. 
     
     
       8. The jelly food composition according to  claim 1 , comprising the fermented soybean hypocotyl or the extract thereof in a range of 0.03 to 5 wt %.